Ieyasu Tokugawa
Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川家康, Tokugawa Ieyasu) is one of the captains within the first generation of the Gotei 13, currently known as "The Divisions". He is the 7th Divsion Captain with Bennosuke Furuhashi as his lieutenant. An old and battleworn soldier, there are rumors that he is considering retirement with his lieutenant succeeding him. During his time as a mercenary, Ieyasu was known as the Winter Sword '(冬の剣, ''Fuyu no Tsurugi) due his Zanpakutō's ability and his method of dispatching his targets. He presides within the '''Bleach: A Father's Tale universe. Appearance Ieyasu takes on the appearance of an old and tired man with dark skin who's body and face shows a lifetime of fighting. Standing at nearly 6 feet tall, he possesses a lean but strong build, hardended by the numerous battles and covered by several scars. He sports a large black afro, bushy eyebrows with a thick beard to exentuate his old age and scruffiness. His face is littered with wrinkles and his black eyes show the tired shinigami that he is. He wears the traditional black shinigami long-sleeved robes with his white sleeveless captain's haori over it. Around his waist is thick white sash that holds everything together, as well as supporting his sword tucked into it. When he was a mercenary, Ieyasu wore green robes, tattered at the edges and was surprisingly clean shaven. He also wore white bandages over both his wrists and carried a second, shorter sword tucked under his main sword. His only piece of jewelry that he wears are a pair of silver loop earrings. Personality A seasoned warrior from a lifetime of killing, Ieyasu has known nothing else. This has made him unable to express his emotions and is usually seen with a somber look on his face. He also seldom speaks to people, even amongst his fellow captains during meetings and instead focuses on the orders given to him. This doesn't mean that others overlook. It is quite the contrary. He is highly respected amongst the Divisions, Yamamoto choosing him due to his fierce ability to wield a sword and killer instinct. Growing tired of the life he's lived, Ieyasu is like an old lion waiting to die. He constantly waits for that final battle that will claim his life. He's afraid of wasting his life away as a senile old man who's mind slowly rots away as the years go by. But as time goes by, that battle never approaching, he's grown disillusioned with his life's meaning and grown more and more reserved, retreating into himself. Now he appears as an old man waiting to die. When he was a mercenary, he was merciless and a natural killer. He could dispatch his opponents without remorse, and even when facing multiple targets he would fight without any signs of distress or worry. Instead, his face was cold and composed, and defeated them without saying a word. History No one knows Ieyasu's history prior to joining the Divisions accept that he was mercenary whose skill with a sword was worthy enough for Yamamoto to take notice. He had spent a life living as a killer for hire and carved a path of blood throughout the years. It was mentioned that it required the direct interference by Yamamoto himself to bring in Ieyasu. The two had battled to a near draw and from what witnesses described, left the landscape permanantly scarred. Already joining the Divisions as an older man, he was still more than qualified to lead a Division of his own. As such, he was assigned to the 7th Division with his lieutenant, Bennosuke Furuhashi. Plot Coming Soon. Powers & Abilities Zanjutsu Master: Ieyasu was personally recruited for the Divisions by Yamamoto because of his tremendous skill in swordplay, though he would never refer it as such. To him, swordfighting is an extension of his killer instinct and he wields his sword with deadly precision. Even with his age, Ieyasu is nearly unmatched and only a handful of opponents can fight on par with him. He's a master of several forms of sword styles, specializing in drawing the sword in quick and powerful slashes, often eliminating his opponents in one strike. He's also particularly skilled in two-handed combat such as Kendo, and has been known to cleave his opponents in two. Even with his tremendous power and speed, his style of combat is fluid and precise, able to adapt to any situation. Another example of his incredible skill is that Yamamoto himself fought against Ieyasu when recruiting him into the Divisions, appearing to fight on equal footing. Hohō Master: Even at his age, Ieyasu's speed is so great that he's been able to annihilate whole groups in a matter of seconds. He typically uses his speed to stealthfully dispatch opponents before they are even aware of it. Spending his entire life in combat, he's able to effortlessly weave in between his opponents and dodge attacks as if he were the wind. Though not as fast as Tenjirō Kirinji, he's still considered one of the fastest captains within the Divisions and able to combine his speed and agility with his swordsmanship to create a deadly combination. Master Assassin: '''During his time as a hired mercenary, he was also a renowned assassin who would eliminate his targets without them being aware of his presence. Combining his natural abilties with that of his Zanpakutō's, he could remain unseen and undetected during the entire moment. With the snow masking his movements, it has been rumored that he would completely blanked an area where nothing could be seen and when the snow cleared, all that remained were bodies and blood spilled against the white. '''Immense Spiritual Power: As a member of the first generation of the Gotei 13, which has been widely considered the strongest version of the Divisions, Ieyasu possesses tremendous levels of spiritual pressure that when exerted can cause the earth to tremble from its power. It has a distinct effect on others, aside from its ability to paralyze weaker willed individuals. Ieyasu's spiritual power is white in appearance, coming off his body like cold vapor. It causes the temperature around him to drop significantly, smothering everyone with a deep chill that is difficult to shake. His nickname, Sword of Winter, derives from his particular aura. During this era, Ieyasu's spiritual pressure was so great that it was able to fight back Yamamoto's. Zanpakutō Fukyūrōdō (不朽労働, "Enduring Labors") Ieyasu's Zanpakutō appears as a regular katana with a curved blade and black squared tsuba. The tsuba itself appears scratched and battleworn, much like its master. The handle is dark gray with brown wrapping around it and a small yellow tassle at the end. Its sheath is a mustard yellow with a black stopper at the end where the sword slides in. *'Shikai:' More to come. Trivia *In many ways, Ieyasu is meant to be an equal to Yamamoto, able to fight Captain Commander on equal footing. Though Yamamoto still retains the title of being the strongest shinigami in Soul Society, Ieyasu is disputed as being the second most powerful within the current Divisions. Behind the Scenes *His appearance is based off of Afro Samurai from Afro Samurai Ressurection. Category:Male Category:Shinigami Category:Divisions Category:7th Division Category:Shinigami Captain Category:Zanjutsu Master Category:Shunpo Master Category:Kido Master Category:Hakuda Expert Category:Master Assassin